Flying High
by Redlance-ck
Summary: Flying with Kara is like nothing else in the world. Or rather, having Kara fly you. It's like magic, being lifted so effortlessly from the earth into the sky. Still, Alex has wondered. [One-shot]


It's Alex's idea. Borne from wistful teenage dreams that she never quite forgot. She's always wondered what it would be like, but then she supposes most people probably have since Supergirl went public.

She's flown with Kara before, of course. Many times since the night she'd broken her arm when they were teenagers. Thankfully, nothing like that had ever happened again.

Flying with Kara is like nothing else in the world. Or rather, having Kara fly you. It's like magic, being lifted so effortlessly from the earth into the sky. Wonderful and awe-inspiring, the childlike fascination has never quite worn off. Even simply watching Kara fly is still amazing to her.

Still, Alex has wondered.

She's looking for Mon-El when she runs into Imra. Soft-spoken, with her soulful eyes and gentle smiles; Alex can see why he fell for her.

At Alex's request, they go out onto the balcony to talk and Alex can't help but be a little surprised when Imra agrees without hesitation. She'd expected some kind of speech about how this could be seen as meddling but afterward realises that it was Mon-El who had been hung up on that.

Imra politely suggests that a tiny bit of practice may be required, which makes complete sense but is something Alex hadn't considered. So, Imra offers to help and once they're done Alex asks her to keep this just between them. She receives one of those gentle smiles and a promise in response.

She sits on it for the rest of the evening, needlessly worrying about nothing at all. She's excited but there's something stopping her from reaching the peak and by the time she arrives at Kara's door she's a bundle of nerves.

"Hey." Kara greets her with a smile and Alex steps inside. It takes about half a second of eye contact for Kara to notice. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Alex says as she exhales, her lips parting in a smile that she can feel trembling at the corner. Kara folds her arms over her chest, narrowing her eyes, and Alex rolls her own at herself. "Really. Nothing's wrong, I promise."

"Then why are you being all," Kara untucks a hand to wave it in Alex's direction, "weird?"

"I'm not weird." Alex tucks her hands into the back pockets of her pants and scoffs with an uncertain laugh.

"Alex, I can hear your heartbeat." Kara stares at her, unblinking, and Alex should have expected this. She'd wanted it to be this grand surprise, something amazing that Kara would never forget. After all, Kara has given her so much over the years. Of course, Alex isn't very good at planning things outside of sting operations and covert infiltration missions, so this was always going to fall short.

"Sorry." She retracts her hands and then slips her right one into the pocket at the front. "I actually had kind of like a speech," she pauses, searching for a word while Kara squints and furrows her brow in confusion, "thing planned. But then I realised I actually had about seven and I got them all confused, so now I'm just…." She sighs, smiling. "Here."

"Alex," Kara lifts a hand to adjust her glasses, "what's going on?"

"Hopefully something pretty cool." Alex's eyes crinkle at their corners as she smiles and pulls something out of her pocket. "I've only got it for tonight, so unless there are some lasting effects don't get too used to it," she jokes, and then she's sliding the Legion ring onto her finger and doing exactly as Imra had instructed her earlier.

And just like that, Alex is floating.

Kara gasps, her hands flying to her mouth and eyes growing wide as she gapes. Alex giggles, an honest to goodness giggle, and looks down at herself. There's a good two feet between her and the ground now.

"You're flying!" Kara yells, the same way she might if she were telling Alex that she was on fire, and points a finger at her. "Alex!" Kara's hands go back to her face, cupping her cheeks this time, and Alex's grin is rapidly overtaking her face.

"I told you. Pretty cool, huh?" Slowly, Alex starts to move around the apartment. Kara's eyes remain fixed on her, mesmerised. "Ever since we saw Mon-El and Imra use these," Alex's holds up the hand bearing the ring and wiggles her finger. "I've been thinking about when we were kids. Specifically, how we used to wish we could fly together. I know Mom kind of put a stop to the hijinks after my arm, but we still liked to imagine what it would be like. Do you remember?"

"Of course I do." Kara's voice is just above a whisper. She looks like she isn't sure what emotion she should be feeling right now.

"And I know how much you love flying. That it helps you clear your mind, relaxes you." She pauses long enough to do a little spin and the action pulls a laugh from Kara. "But I also know that sometimes you find it a little lonely up there by yourself. So…." She glides to a stop just in front of Kara and gestures to herself.

And Kara explodes into giddy laughter, her excitement palpable and filling the apartment from wall to wall. She rushes Alex, hugging her a little lower than usual thanks to the added height.

"It doesn't make me super strong," Alex reminds Kara as she squeezes a little too tightly. Kara lets go and takes a step back.

"Sorry." She flashes Alex a sheepish smile. "I'm just so…" she presses her fingers to her lips, blue eyes glistening, and then waves her hand in a small circle. "I'm so excited." She snares the tip of her thumb between her teeth and grins. "Can we go now?" She's already taking her glasses off before Alex can answer.

"Yes." Kara squeals, but Alex holds up a finger, asking for one more moment of silence. "But you have to promise we'll go slow. I did some practicing but that was inside the training room at the D.E.O. and I'm pretty sure real life is going to be different."

"I'll catch you if you fall," Kara promises and in the amount of time it takes Alex to blink, she's changed into her suit. "Let's- are you, are you okay? Are you ready?"

Alex laughs, unable to remember the last time she saw her sister so boisterous.

"I was thinking maybe we should drive out of the city? You know, so people don't see a bumbling humanoid figure attempting flight and assume the city has a second, slightly more inept superhero on their hands."

"No. No, no. That will take too long." Kara is suddenly very focused, her eyebrows drawn together into a determined frown. "I can fly you high enough so that no one will see." Kara moves to the window that she so often uses to exit her apartment and pushes it open before turning back to Alex, whose feet are back on the floor.

"Okay." Alex shrugs. It's no big deal. She's flown with Kara before.

She wraps her arms around Kara's neck as strong arms encircle her waist, and then Kara is grinning at her and asking if she's ready. Then they're off, Kara easily taking them through the opening and shooting skyward.

Kara doesn't take them too high and Alex knows it's because she's is aware that humans don't tolerate the altitude as well as she does. Still, they're quite a ways up. The air is clearer here, Alex thinks, crisp. The sounds of the city faded and far away, and even though it isn't Alex's first time seeing National City from this angle, it leaves her breathless all the same.

"Wow." Her eyes scan the buildings and twinkling lights below. "It never gets old."

"No," she hears Kara say, "it doesn't." They hover there for a few moments until Kara can't take it any longer and asks, "Can I let you go yet?"

Alex looks back at her and gives a little nod.

"Should be fine."

"Should?" Kara arches a brow and Alex offers her a slightly nervous smile.

"You'll catch me," she reminds Kara and that seems to be all the reassurance she needs. Kara brings her arms back to her sides and Alex draws her away from Kara's neck.

And then they're both hovering, independently, and Kara's smile could outshine the sun. She laughs, elated, and flies in tight circles around Alex a few times. Then Kara gasps Alex by the hand and starts to slowly ascend, bringing Alex with her.

But Alex surprises them both, tilting her body to the side and taking off like a rocket through the night sky.

Kara squeals, curls her now empty hand into a fist, then gleefully gives chase.

It's beyond anything Alex could have ever imagined. The exhilaration of having her feet so far from the ground rushes through her like the wind over her body as she swoops and twirls. Racing Kara, who Alex knows is going easy on her, brings about another kind of joy. Because for all the things they've shared, this had never been on the cards. It hadn't even been on the table until now.

As they twist and turn across the sky, Alex tries to recall another time she saw Kara this happy.

She can't. There are a few instances that come close, but nothing like this, and the notion fills Alex with the kind of happy warmth that shouldn't be so readily attainable this high up.

And sure, Kara has flown with J'onn and Clark, but Alex likes to think that this is a little different. That she's making their teenaged dreams come true.

"You okay?" Kara asks, sidling up beside Alex and keeping pace with her as they fly. "Need to feel the earth under your feet again yet?"

Alex smiles, glancing sidelong at her sister.

"Not a chance," she says and Kara chuckles. "What do you think my superhero name would be?"

"The Aggressive Avenger," Kara supplies without missing a beat. "You know, because you hit first and ask questions later."

"That gets the best results!"

"Whatever," Kara laughs. "Come on, I want to show you something."

Kara veers off to the left and Alex follows.


End file.
